Holycross victory train continues at pace with another Mid title added to the roll of honour

Holycross Ballycahill defeated Thurles Sarsfields on Wednesday evening in the Mid U19A hurling final

BT Sport Mid Tipperary U19A Hurling Championship Final

Holycross Ballycahill 4-23

Thurles Sarsfields 1-19

By Michael Dundon

Holycross Ballycahill’s re-emergence as a hurling powerhouse continues. At Littleton last week, they chalked up their fourth Mid U19A hurling title in a row with an emphatic 13-point win over Thurles Sarsfields, and look set to retain their county crown also.

Make no mistake about it, this is a powerful Holycross Ballycahill outfit. Four of the team are already established seniors in a side that has qualified for the county senior quarter-finals. Others are knocking on the door as the hard work done at the juvenile level in recent years is now beginning to pay off big time for the abbeysiders.

Their dominance in this encounter was challenged by arch-rivals Sarsfields, but never unduly under threat, two goals in the last six minutes swelling the victors' winning margin to a flattering 13 points that was an injustice to a Thurles side that was just four points adrift when the late flourish swept the champions home.

Holycross’ retention of the title was on the cards from an early stage. They were leading 0-5 to 0-3 after eleven minutes when Zach O’Keeffe powered his way through for their first goal, and they had six different scorers as they surged clear 1-13 to 0-8 by half-time. Robbie Ryan, Eoghan Hickey, Tony Maher, Jake Galvin, and Tiarnan Ryan were all on target.

Sarsfield were hanging in, Eoin Webb’s free-taking and the solid work of Keith Loughnane, Euan Murray, and Kieran Rossiter keeping them in touch, but an eight-point interval deficit left them with a lot of ground to make up, though they would have the aid of the fresh breeze in the second half.

Eoin Webb’s point inside twenty seconds of resuming indicated that Sarsfields were up for the fight. Their key men, Murray, Loughnane, Rossiter, and Webb, led by example as they picked away at the Holycross lead, reducing it to four points after 42 minutes (1-17 to 0-16).

A grandstand finish looked imminent, but on the three-quarter mark, Cathal O’Reilly raced from defence for a smashing Holycross goal. A minute later. Kieran Rossiter did likewise for Sarsfields, who had the deficit again down to four points with seven minutes to play.

Then came the clinching Holycross surge. Sean Ryan, off a Robbie Ryan pass, burst through for Holycross’ third goal, which was quickly followed by points from Evan Morris, Robbie Ryan, and Sean Ryan to put the game out of Sarsfields’ reach.

Ronan O’Brien pointed for Sarsfields, but Holycross rounded off a highly impressive performance with an Eoghan Hickey goal off another Robbie Ryan pass in injury time for a richly deserved victory.

It will take something special to prevent Holycross Ballycahill retaining their county crown, repeating the success this particular group enjoyed at the U17 level. There is a quality, strength, and athleticism in the side that is sweeping all opposition aside by big margins, and which augurs well for the future of this famed hurling academy. Importantly, their big stars deliver.

Cathal O’Reilly and Robbie Ryan led the way with Evan Morris, Tiarnan Ryan, Zach O Keeffe, and Tony Maher also to the fore, but the work of Tadhg Ryan, Sean Ryan, Eoghan Hickey, and Daire Ryan was also worthy of note.

Sarsfields gave it everything but came up short at the finish. Some poor shooting in the second half as they gave chase cost them scores, but they can have no complaint about the result.

The better team won. Keith Loughnane, Kieran Rossiter, Euan Murray, Eoin Webb, Andy Rossiter, Evan Nolan, and Ronan O’Brien worked their socks off for the cause. The loss to injury of Alex Coppinger just before half-time did not help, nor did the enforced absence through illness of Bill Fogarty.

Scorers: Holycross Ballycahill: Robbie Ryan (0-9, 0-7f), Sean Ryan, Eoghan Hickey 1-2 each, Cathal O’Reilly 1-1, Zach O’Keeffe 1-0, T Ryan 0-3, Evan Morris, Jake Galvin 0-2 each, Tony Maher (0-2, 0-1f).

Thurles Sarsfields: Eoin Webb (0-6, 0-3f), Keith Loughnane (0-5, 0-3f), Kieran Rossiter 1-2, Ronan O’Brien 0-3, Euan Murray 0-2, Cillian Minogue 0-1.

Holycross Ballycahill: Conor O’Sullivan; Cian Ryan, Daire Ryan, Cathal O’Reilly; Cathan Ryan, Evan Morris, Jack Lahart; Tiarnan Ryan, Jake Galvin; Robbie Ryan, Tony Maher, Tadhg Ryan; Zach O’Keeffe, Sean Ryan, Eoghan Hickey.

Thurles Sarsfields: Jamie Stapleton; Andy Rossiter, Fionn Fogarty, Kyle O’Dowd; Keelan Dunne, Kiaran Rossiter, Evan Nolan; Leelan Donoghue, Alex Coppinger; Euan Murray, Keith Loughnane, Tristan Kelly; Ronan O’Brien, Cillian Minogue, Eoin Webb.

Subs used: John Broderick for Coppinger (30); James Lloyd for Kelly (59).

Referee: Sean Everard (Moyne Templetuohy)